title: Chlamydia trachomatis: an underestimated cause for rhinitis in neonates.
abstract: The incidence of Chlamydia trachomatis genital tract infection among randomly selected attendants of the ante-natal clinic of the Suez Canal University Hospital, Ismailia, Egypt, during 1996 was detected. It was found to be 9% by examining endocervical swabs using the direct immunofluorescent test and 13% after serological detection by the indirect immunofluorescent test. The incidence of neonatal Chlamydia infection in the same population assessed by nasal and conjunctival swabs tested for Chlamydia using the direct immunofluorescent test was found to be 9%. In spite of the low incidence of neonatal Chlamydia infection detected in this study, neonates 'at risk' i.e. born to infected mothers, showed a high rate of Chlamydia transmission (57%) with 21.4% of the infected neonates presenting with this specific rhinitis. This study documents Chlamydia trachomatis as an underestimated cause of rhinitis in neonates characterized by being resistant to empirical remedies.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Iskandar
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Naguib
mesh_terms: D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000382:microbiology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology